Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes are a luxurious take on the classic side dish, blending creamy mashed potatoes with indulgent additions like cheese, bacon, and sour cream.

These potatoes are baked twice to achieve a velvety, flavorful interior—a perfect marriage of textures and flavors in every bite. The best part? It only takes 30 minutes and a handful of basic ingredients to whip up this easy side dish!

So if regular mashed potatoes aren’t cutting it anymore (and I Love mashed potatoes), it is time to up our game, my friends! I love this recipe for the Christmas table or dinner parties, but it is a winner year-round.

Why You’ll Love This Side Dish Recipe

• Easy to customize this comfort food with your favorite toppings from cheese and extra crispy bacon to vegan version.
• A go-to side dish that is simple enough yet delicious to please anyone for your holiday dinner.
• Great side dish for holidays and easy to make ahead.
• Kids’ favorite!

Ingredients Notes

To make these amazing mashed potatoes we only need a few fresh ingredients and dairy. Add-ons like bacon bits and chives are some of my favorite parts but totally optional and adjustable.

More to it, all of these ingredients are affordable and help us make a budget-friendly side dish for 5-6 people.

• Large Russet potatoes. We do need large potatoes to make sure once we cut them there will be enough potato to scoop and enough space to put the mashed potatoes mixture. A very popular substitute for good old Russet potatoes is Yukon gold potatoes which have a creamier texture. You can also use any other starchy potatoes like Maris Piper, King Edward, or Ailsa.
• Shredded cheese. You can use mild or sharp cheddar cheese based on your preference. Monterey Jack is also a great choice or a mix of two. Parmesan is great for topping
• Sour cream will give our potato mixture a creamy texture and a little tang.
• Butter, softened. Butter has taste, and it can transfer it to potatoes. I love cooking with butter. I would suggest using unsalted butter, taste, and salt in the mix if needed.
• Whole milk (adjust to desired consistency)
• Bacon, cooked, crumbled. It is optional but I love the texture and the flavor of bacon bits added to the mix.
• Fresh chives (green onions), thinly sliced. They add only a mild onion flavor, unlike white or yellow onions. You can use them both in the mixture and for topping. Fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro (if you like it) work amazing for topping as well.
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste. If you can use freshly ground black pepper. Sometimes I love to add some garlic powder.

You’ll Also Need

• 2-quart casserole dish or a baking dish
• Potato masher, potato ricer, or fork to mash potatoes.

How To Make Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes

The whole recipe is based on the idea that we bake the potatoes, then make mashed potatoes, and bake them again without skins. I love potatoes and I hope you will enjoy this version of them as much as I do.

From start to finish it takes around 1,5 hrs. While the potato side dish bakes you can make the protein!

Step 1: Bake The Potatoes The First Time

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Wash the potatoes and pat them dry. Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork and place them on a baking sheet. 
3. Bake for 45-50 minutes in the preheated oven or until fork tender (soft when pierced with a fork). Remove and allow them to cool for a few minutes until they are easy to handle. 

Step 2: Make Mashed Potatoes

1. Slice the cooked potatoes in half and then scoop out the softened flesh, remove it from the skins, and place it in a large bowl.
2. Mash potatoes with a mixer, potato masher, or fork. 
3. Gradually mix in half of the shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, softened butter, milk, half of the crumbled crisp bacon (if using), half of the sliced green onions, salt, and pepper. Mix well until creamy and thoroughly combined.

Step 3: Bake Mashed Potatoes The Second Time

1. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly.
2. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese and crumbled bacon.
3. Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes or until the casserole is heated through, the potato’s top is golden brown, and the cheese has melted.
4. Once done, remove the casserole from the oven and garnish with the remaining sliced green onions before serving.
5. Another great option is to sprinkle some paprika on top.

What To Serve With Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes?

I think one of the best things to add to the twice-baked mashed potatoes is crispy bacon bits, and you can use regular bacon or turkey bacon.

Some more serving ideas:

• Thanksgiving turkey or chicken cutlets,
• Saucy pork ribs, meatloaf, or juicy steak,
• Salmon,
• Roasted veggies.

Storage

Storing. You can store any leftover twice-baked mashed potatoes in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days.

Making Ahead. This is also a great recipe to make a few days ahead or months if you freeze it. Do all the steps except the cheese topping and second bake and store the dish in the fridge until ready to bake. Sprinkle the cheese and bake as the recipe suggests.

Freezing. After you let the potatoes cool completely, wrap them in two layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for 2-3 months.

How Do You Reheat Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes?

Potatoes from the fridge can be reheated in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes until warm all the way to the bottom of the dish or in the microwave for 1 minute (individual portion).

Frozen twice-baked mashed potatoes should be first thawed overnight. Add butter (mashed potatoes can dry out while stored) and bake until warm. They take a few extra minutes to warm up, so up to 20 minutes.

Substitutions & Variations

• The first round of cooking potatoes can be simply boiling them in a large pot. Potato cubes boil much faster and it can save you time. You can also stam them in a large steamer basket over boiling water for about 25 minutes.
• To make these mashed potatoes incredibly creamy, you can add softened cream cheese from a tub.
• If you love onions, use finely chopped yellow or white onion, saute it in some butter, and add to the potato mixture.
• To make vegan twice-baked mashed potatoes without any dairy, use nutritional yeast to replace cheese, plant-based milk or coconut yogurt, coconut oil, potato starch, and vegan butter.
• Topping ideas: caramelized onions, chopped pickles, pinenuts, sundried tomatoes, more cheese or soft cheese like feta or blue cheese, or a simple drizzle of truffle oil.

Tips To Make The Best Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes

• Over-cooking and over-mashing make mashed potatoes gummy. That’s why I don’t use a food processor to mash potatoes. Red potatoes and waxy types of potatoes are also gummier and more gluey than other types when mashed.
• If the mashed potatoes seem too thick, add a splash of milk and mix again, before baking the second time.
• Butter and sour cream should be at room temperature or even slightly warmer to prevent any lumps in the mashed potatoes.
• Peeling is optional. Russet potatoes have a bit tougher skin, so it takes longer to bake them whole. But baking is best with skins on!

Popular Questions

Are Yukon Gold Potatoes Better Than Russet Potatoes For Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes?

Both Yukon gold potatoes and Russets are great for twice baked mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes are very starchy and fluffy and make amazing mashed potatoes without being gummy or gluey, and creamy Yukon golds are just a very universal potatoes to use in side dish cuisine, salads, and soups.

What Is The Difference Between Baked Potato And Twice-Baked Potato?

The only difference between baked potatoes and twice-baked potatoes is that twice-baked potatoes are literally baked 2 times, while with regular baked potatoes you cook potatoes only once.

Twice-baked mashed potatoes are first baked whole, then the cooked potatoes are removed from the skins, mashed and mixed with other fillings, and then baked again, in a prepared baking dish.

Is It Better To Bake Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes?

Both boiling and baking are great for making some delicious mashed potatoes. I love baking potatoes first to keep the water out, to skip the peeling part, and use the time potatoes are baking to cook protein or toppings.

Are Baked Potatoes And Mashed Potatoes The Same?

No, baked potatoes are baked in the oven and served as a whole or diced, while mashed potatoes are usually first boiled and then mashed with a special potato masher or fork to make a smooth mixture. Mashed potatoes can also have milk (or cream) and butter in them to keep the mixture creamy, soft, and fluffy.

How Does Gordon Ramsay Make Twice Baked Potatoes?

Gordon Ramsay’s recipe suggests we first bake large potatoes whole with skins at 350 F for 30 minutes, then slice each in half, scoop out the insides, mash and mix them with butter and sauteed savoy cabbage, and then load the skins with the mixture to bake the potatoes the second time for 10 minutes until the tops are golden.

If you love this easy side dish recipe, you’re going to love these other potato recipe too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Mashed Potato Recipes

Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

Duchess Potatoes

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